Turbine nozzle and rotor arrangement



Nov. 6, 1962 P. T. ANGELL ETAL 3,062,498

TURBINE NOZZLE AND ROTOR ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May 4, 1954 v 3SheetsSheet 1 Ezra IZZQTE Pierce T A1296! Faberzfl dljborn i Z r i Nov.6, 1962 P. T. ANGELL ETAL 3,062,498

- TURBINE NOZZLE AND ROTOR ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May 4, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 2 ETLFEWZQITE B'erce T Anya/l Faber! U/ born Nov. 6, 1962P. 1'. ANGELL ETAL 3,062,498

TURBINE NOZZLE AND ROTOR ARRANGEMENT Original Filed May 4, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 3 EYE TZZE TE Pierce T Ange/l Robert C/Zborzz b MM Z i3,062,498 TURBINE NOZZLE AND ROTOR ARRANGEMENT Pierce T. Angeli, PepperPike Village, and Robert Cliborn, South Euclid, Ohio, assignors toThompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of OhioOriginal application May 4, 1954, Ser. No. 427,599, new Patent No.2,910,005, dated Oct. 27, 1959. Divided and this application Dec. 11,1958, Ser. No. 779,592 3 Claims. (Cl. 253-78) The present inventionrelates to apparatus for pumping liquids or the like by power developedfrom a source of expandable fluid. More particularly, the inventionrelates to the provision in such apparatus of a new and improved turbinenozzle and vane construction.

This application i a division of our co-pending application, Serial No.427,599, which was filed May 4, 1954 and issued into Patent No.2,910,005 on October 27, 1959.

The problem of providing simple turbine constructions for use in suchmodern fields as aviation and like arts has been a serious one. In suchuses, the turbine must be extremely strong with a minimum of weight anda -maximum of fluid flow per inch of diameter of the tur- .bine rotor.

These requirements are extremely important in the eflicient design ofmodern light weight equipment and have been considered absolutelynecessary in order to utilize the compressed gases available for a powersource on modern jet aircraft, for example.

By the present invention, a simplified and substantially improvedturbine rotor structure has been provided while retaining an extremelysmall turbine rotor diameter and while maintaining the cost ofmanufacture at a minimum. In reducing the cost of the present turbineapparatus, applicants have simultaneously achieved substantially greaterstrength thereby permitting high operating speeds with a minimum ofoperational break downs.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide asimplified turbine nozzle and rotor construction.

Another object is to provide a method of manufacturing turbine nozzlepassages in a simplified manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a turbine having alarge ratio of flow area per inch of turbine rotor diameter.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle androtor combination in which an inlet nozzle plate extends axially withina housing and is provided with vanes extending radially from a hub intosubstantial contact with the housing, and in which a turbine rotor ismounted in the housing adjacent the nozzle plate and is provided withvanes extending radially into substantial contact with the housingwhereby there is provided a con tinuous flow controlling path'throughsaid housing.

Still other and further objects and features of the present inventionwill become apparent to those skilled in the art from the considerationof the attached sheets of drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view in cross section of a preferred form ofturbine and pump construction;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial elevatio-nal view in cross-section showing amodified form of turbine nozzle and taken along the line similar toIV-IV of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a partial end elevational view of the modified form ofnozzle shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a developed view of the blading of the turbine nozzleconstructed according to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

3,052,498 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 FIGURE 7 is a developed view of theblading of the turbine nozzles of the present invention and constructedin accordance with the embodiment thereof shown in FIGURES 4 and 5; and

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the turbine rotor drivetransmitting key and locking device taken along the lines VIII-VIII ofFIGURE 1.

As shown on the drawings:

The combined turbine drive and fluid pump of the present invention isshown in somewhat greater than full size dimensions in FIGURE 1. There,the right hand portion of the apparatus operates as a turbine While theleft hand end of the device transforms the work energy supplied by theturbine into a centrifugal pumping action for pressurizing a liquid orgaseous medium such as, for example, gasoline or similar fuel foraircraft.

As shown in the figures and as was originally disclosed in our patentapplication identified above, the assembly comprises a three parthousing 10 composed of a central pump housing 11, a pump inlet housing12 and an air circulating housing 13 provided with an axial air flowcontrolling housing 14. The central housing 11 is provided with anaxially extending bore 15 in which a drive shaft 16 is mounted by meansof conventional ball bearings 17 and 18. Axial movement of the shaft 16is prevented by the shoulders 19 in the bore 15, the metal spacingsleeve 20, the spring retainer 21 and the abutment wall 22 secured tothe housing 11 by means countersunk screws 23.

The drive shaft 16 carries a turbine rotor R at its right hand, orturbine end. The rotor hub 25 is abutted against the thrust abutment 26,and is maintained axially positioned thereagainst by means of a radialkey 27 positioned in a diametrical slot 28 in the shaft 16 and main-.tained in position by means of a threaded nut 29.

As may be seen from a consideration of FIGURES 1 and 2, air entering thehousing 13 by means of the air inlet 13a passes around the circumferenceof the air circulation housing 13 and is directed axially therefromthrough the nozzle plate 30 by the nozzle vanes 30a as indicated by thearrows 31. As is shown in FIGURE 1, the nozzle plate 30, which will bemore fully described below, is secured by screws 32 to an intermediatesupport member or vane support portion 33 which is in turn secured tothe central housing 11 by means of the screws 23. The intermediatesupport 33 may be integral with or otherwise permanently secured to theinnermost portion 131) of the housing 13 or, as an alternative method ofmanufacture, the support 33 may instead bear a sliding 'fit relationshipwith the portion 13b at 33a to thereby provide a fluid tight seal.

In the general arrangement above set forth, compressed air introduced inthe direction of the arrow shown in FIGURE 2 through the inlet 13apasses through the nozzle passages 30]) and impinges vanes 25a of theturbine rotor R, thereby rotating the shaft 16 through the key 27. Theshaft 16 is of course drivingly connected to the centrifugal pump rotor35.

The pump rotor 35 draws low pressure fuel or the like from an inlet 36and delivers the fuel through centrifugal action to rotor outlet 37.From thence it travels axially through diffuser passages 38 to acollecting ring 39 from which the fuel is delivered through exit 40.

As earlier described in application Serial No. 427,599, the rotor 35 ismaintained in axial and radial alignment by means of bearing and wearsurfaces 41 and 42, as well as by the bearings 17 and 18. Although therotor 35 may be secured to the shaft 16 in a number of ways, onesatisfactory coupling is shown in the drawings. There, therotor 35 issplined to a drive member 43 which is in turn keyed axially at 44 to theshaft 16. The rotor 3 35 is maintained in its axial position relative tothe shaft 16 by means of a spacer sleeve 45 which cooperates with acombined abutment and seal 46 to maintain the rotor 35 a fixed distancefrom abutment 47 on the left hand end of the shaft 16.

Pressure from the pump rotor outlet 37 may leak into cavity 48, and thisleakage is prevented from passing through the bore by means of the sealplate 46 which cooperates with the spring biased wipers 4-9 and 50.While this arrangement has proven very effective in preventing leakageof the pressurized fluid medium, it is to be understood that other typesof seals may be utilized if desired without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

As may be seen from a consideration of FIGURE 1, the pressurized fluidentering the collecting ring 39 from the pump rotor 35 may circulatepast the radial reenforcing ribs 51 into the portion of the collectingring 39 immediately within the inner wall 13]) of the housing 13. Thus,the compressed fluid circulates in heat transfer relationship with theincoming compressed air within the turbine inlet housing 13. Likewise,the fluid from the pump rotor 35 is also in heat transfer relationshipwith the bearings 17 and 18 which are fixedly mounted within the bore15. It will be apparent, therefore, that when the bearings 17 and 18develop excessive heat, heat will be dissipated to the compressed fluidin the collecting ring 39 of the housing 11, as well as to thecompressed gas within the chamber 13. The spring force urging the key 27in the axial direction is provided by means of the spring flanges 29a onthe nut 29. As may be seen from FIG- URE l, the flange 29a provides anoverhanging lip which combines with the recess 2% to permit a deflectionof the flange 29a upon the application of a high rotative torque to thenut 29. Thus, when the nut 29 is tightened down against the key 27, theflange 29a is deflected and a resilient set is provided therein. Whenduring operation the rotor R contracts axially, the flange 29a movesaxially with the key 27 to maintain the key in tight engagement with therotor R, and the rotor itself in tight engagement with the abutmentplate 26 thereby providing a constant, extremely tight, connection.

In the second place, an extremely eflicient coupling is provided throughthe use of the radial key 27 since the strength of the hub of the rotorR is increased through the elimination of axially extending splinegrooves of the conventional type. It should be remembered that theaxially extending splines of a conventional connection not only detractfrom the strength of the hub through a reduction in the metal, and hencethe eflective thickness of the hub, but also provide a notch effectcausing a localization of the stresses at the minimum radial thicknessof the hub. This concentration of stress causes a serious weakening ofthe hub, which is substantially in excess of the weakening elfect of theremoval of material only.

The apparatus of the present invention includes an extremely simpleturbine nozzle and vane construction, this being the invention to whichthe instant application is principally directed. Through the use of asmall diameter hub 25, as above described, short rotor vanes 25a, whichvanes extend axially relatively a great distance, may be provided. Bymeans of this construction, a minimum number of turbine buckets may beutilized, thereby providing a large flow area. This permits thedevelopment of a considerable amount of power compared to largerdiameter turbines in which a greater percentage of the air passagewaymust of necessity comprise vane structure.

Simplified manufacture of the nozzle and rotor of the turbine andimproved operation are provided through the provision of the exhausthousing 14 as a combined shroud for the IotOr and shroud for the nozzleblades.

As may be seen from FIGURE 1, the housing 14 provides a continuous andgenerally conically convergent shaped peripheral confining surface 14afor the air throughout its convergent flow through the nozzle openlugs30 as well as its diffusion or divergency in the turbine blading 25a.Through this arrangement, a simple, a single, outer shroud element 14 ispermitted. It is to be seen in this connection that the rotor vanes 25aand nozzle plate vanes Stla are in substantial contact with the innersurface 14a of the housing 14, and that the rotor R and nozzle plate 3'0are immediately adjacent one another. Further, the hub portion 25 of therotor R terminates radially at essentially the outer radial extremity ofthe nozzle plate hub portion.

The elimination of the need of any outer shroud for either the rotor Ror the nozzle structure 30 additionally permits the manufacture of boththe rotor and the nozzle by means of conventional milling cutters. Thus,the blading 30a of the nozzle blade 30 may be manufactured by indexingthe blade 3%) on a conventional milling machine and moving the millingcutter in a direction of the arrow shown in FIGURES l and 6 relative tothe blade 39. Movement of the milling cutter along the line indicated bythe arrow 55 automatically causes a converging nozzle passage 30b to becut into the plate 30.

The above method of manufacture is extremely simple and, further, may beutilized with only a slight modification to provide a nozzle capable ofsupersonic operation. Thus, as may be seen particularly from aconsideration of FIGURES 4 and 7, a nozzle plate may be provided withconverging-diverging nozzle passageways 60a by setting up the millingmachine as above described and passing the milling cutter along ahelical path shown by the arrow 66 in FIGURES 4 and 7, and then tiltingthe nozzle plate 60 in the opposite direction about its central axisrelative to the longitudinal axis 16 and passing the milling cutteralong a helical path indicated by the arrows 67 in FIGURES 4 and 7.

This two step milling operation provides a converging nozzle passagewayin the direction of the arrow 66 until the minimum area neck 68 isreached, at which time the passage begins to diverge. Since, as is wellknown in the art, a continuous flow passage which is to excelerate the.velocity of a gas from an initial sub-sonic value to a supersonic valuemust comprise a convergent nozzle passage followed by a divergingsection, it will be apparent that the nozzle passageways manufactured asabove described, operate suitably to provide supersonic flow enteringthe turbine wheel R, thus providing extremely high speed, as well aseflicient operation. Likewise, as is well known, the provision of acontinuously converging nozzle passageway as shown in FIGURE 1 providesin increasing velocity of the gas reaching a maximum of the speed ofsound as it leaves the nozzle passages 60a and enters the rotor R.

From the above discussion, it will be apparent that the nozzle platesconstructed according to the present invention may very simply bemanufactured through the use of conventional milling machines ratherthan extremely complex machinery ordinarily used for the manufacture ofnozzle passageways. This permits extremely inexpensive construction andin many cases even more important, permits manufacture of such pump andturbine structures by manufacturing concerns not having the complexmachinery ordinarily associated with manufacture of turbine nozzles andother complex turbine blade forms. This simplified blading, when takenwith the remainder of the very compact structure provides an unusuallysimple and thermodynamically superior pump and turbine structure capableof efficient use where compactness, eflicient cooling and simplicity arerequired.

It is to be understood that various modifications may be effected in thestructures herein disclosed without departing from the novel concepts ofthe present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A nozzle and rotor combination, comprising a continuous annularhousing open at opposite ends and having a continuous conical innersurface diverging from a discharge end to an inlet end providing anaxially outwardly convergent fluid flow directing surface at thedischarge end thereof, an inlet nozzle plate extending axially withinsaid housing at said inlet end thereof having a plurality of vanesextending radially therefrom into substantial contact with said surfaceof said housing, and a turbine rotor mounted within said housing betweensaid nozzle plate and said discharge end of the housing and having vanesthereon extending radially into substantial contact with said surface ofsaid housing, whereby said housing surface provides a one piececontinuous flow controlling path through said nozzle plate and throughsaid rotor.

2 A nozzle and rotor combination, comprising a continuous annularhousing open at opposite ends and providing a continuous conicalconverging fluid flow directing surface from the inlet end to thedischarge end thereof, shaft means supported concentrically within saidhousing, an inlet nozzle plate. extending axially within said housing atsaid inlet end and having a plurality of vanes extending radiallytherefrom into substantial contact with said surface of said housing,and a turbine rotor supported by said shaft means at one end thereof andlocated within said housing between the discharge end thereof and saidnoz zle plate, said rotor having vanes thereon extending radially intosubstantial contact with said surface of said housing, whereby saidhousing surface provides a one piece continuous flow controlling paththrough said nozzle plate and through said rotor.

3. A nozzle and rotor combination, comprising a continuous annularhousing open at opposite ends and having a generally conical innerperiphery providing a continuous converging wall from an inlet open endto an outlet open end, an inlet nozzle plate extending axially withinsaid housing at said inlet end and having a plurality of vanes extendingradially therefrom into substantial contact with said surface of saidhousing, said nozzle plate and said surface of said housing radiallyoutwardly of said nozzle plate vanes providing a convergent fluid flowpath through said nozzle plate, and a turbine rotor mounted within saidhousing and extending axially from said discharge end thereof to saidnozzle plate and having a hub portion with vanes thereon extendingradially into substantial contact with said surface of said housing,said rotor hub portion and said surface of said housing radiallyoutwardly of the rotor vanes providing a diffusing divergent fluid flowpath through said rotor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,427,179 Waller Aug. 29, 1922 1,894,393 Bigelow Jan. 17, 1933 2,252,817Van Rijswijk Aug. 19, 1941 2,391,786 Kenney Dec. 25, 1945 2,646,209Galliot July 21, 1953 2,701,528 Angell Feb. 8, 1955 2,715,367 Kodet etal Aug. 16, 1955 2,750,892 Johnson June 19, 1956 2,839,005 Means June17, 1958

